1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spray bottle for dispensing a spray upon demand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There exists a need for a portable hygienic device for rectal or vaginal douching, or other cleaning by spray. Most known bidets are self-contained units, which are large and heavy, and are not of a portable nature. To meet this need, and to take advantage of preexisting toilets or water closets, bidet accessories have been developed for attachment to preexisting toilets or plumbing systems. Certain devices, both of the bidet type and for other purposes, are capable of holding liquid and dispensing the same under pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,609,125, issued to M. Waldron Pitt on Nov. 30, 1926, discloses a fountain spray having a reservoir of liquid and a hand pump for building up the pressure within the reservoir. The pressurized liquid is dispensed from the reservoir to an applicator when a valve is opened. The reservoir includes indicia marking the level of the remaining liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,921, issued to Harry M. Umann et al. on Sep. 7, 1971, discloses a portable bidet having a reservoir for holding a douching liquid and a hand pump for dispensing liquid. The pump expels that amount of liquid contained therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,608, issued to David Caplan on May 7, 1974, discloses a portable bidet which has a powered water pump, and which sits on an adjacent environmental surface. The liquid discharge nozzle is attach to the toilet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,804, issued to Clarence O. Schrader et al. on Oct. 28, 1975, discloses a bidet accessory mountable on a toilet bowl, and features electrically powered water pressurization and heating. Different functions, such as for douching or for an enema, can be accommodated by changing water discharge tubes which support a nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,931, issued to Gene C. Lind on Dec. 18, 1979, discloses a portable bidet with an electrically driven pump. Lind has a thin walled housing assembly including two rectangular halves arranged in a telescoping fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,754, issued to Jacob Bader et al. on Apr. 7, 1981, disclosing a bidet accessory having a liquid reservoir. A spring biased piston bears on the reservoir, thereby pressurizing the liquid. The reservoir is filled by attachment to a plumbing system with sufficient pressure to fill the reservoir while pushing the piston back against the force of the spring. A manually operated valve releases liquid for spraying.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,540, issued to Harold B. Lovitt on Mar. 24, 1992, describes a self-contained, hand-held bidet which may be pressurized by a hand pump.
Great Britain Patent Application No. 2,133,055 A for Albert McInally published Jul. 18, 1984; Great Britain Patent Application No. 2,233,553 A for Douglass G. McCandish published Jan. 16, 1991; and German Patent Application 3546,176 A1 for Josef Nemecek published on Jul. 2, 1987, all describe bidet devices of varying construction.
Several patents disclose electric heaters for heating the water before washing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,899, issued to Joseph D. Robinson et al. on Apr. 6, 1976, discloses a warm water supply kit with a pressure regulating valve. The device employs electric heating elements and a pneumatic control switch. U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,744, issued to Aristotel Butoi on Jun. 6, 1978, discloses an apparatus mountable on a toilet for washing a person's private parts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,704, issued to Jing-Yau Chung on Nov. 18, 1986, discloses a portable sanitary device with an electric heating element.
Separate rechargeable battery packs for powering a variety of electric devices are known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,782,814 and 5,122,427, issued to Louis W. Greenblatt and Dale M. Flowers et al., respectively, both disclose rechargeable battery packs.
None of the above patent references, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.